Portable turn-table



JOHN ROBINSON OF ELI, OF SHAIZITOVN, MARYLAND.

PORTABLE TURN-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 26,053, dated November 8, 1859.

To all 'whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ROBINSON or ELI, of Sharptown, Somerset county, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Portable Railways; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Wy invention designs the construction of a simple and effective railroad, which can not only quickly be laid down in low or marshy grounds for the hauling of timber and other similar purposes, but shall also be easily shifted in its parts, so as to admit of running the trucks or wagons in any and all directions desired. With this end in view I have constructed an improved portable railway and turn table, as will be hereinafter fully described.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and will enable any one skilled in the art to make and use it. In my description I shall refer by letters to the said drawings, where the same parts in different views are denoted by the same letters, and in which- Figure l represents a top View of a portion of the road and the turntable in different positions (as will be presently explained). Fig. 2 represents a top view of the turn table plate. Fig. 3, represents a top View of the connecting rails for ruiming off on another road. Fig. 4 represents a bottom View of turn table rails, and Nos. l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 8, 9 illustrate the peculiar formation scarf for uniting the ends of the beams in forming the road.

A is a simple board or base illustrating the surface of the ground upon which the road is constructed.

a are the cross ties on which the rails B are laid united by cross braces 6. Each of the sections B is united with the next by apeculiar construction of scarf and key which will presently be more fully described.

C are bed pieces, running in any directions desired, upon which to lay a branch road running off at any angle from the road B.

D is the turn table plate. turn table carrier F the truck.

n the C( G 77 the connection rails, for uniting to a branch road at any angle to the main. The plate D is formed of a circular disk grooved or rabbeted out on its under side to accommodate the rails B, upon which it can slide freely; said disk D has formed at its center a step bearing l for the accommodation of a short stuc i which extends down from the bottom of the carrier F of a diameter about equal to the gage of the road. A circular ring c is formed and inserted in the upper surface of the disk D in which are formed two dishes (see Fig. 2) to receive the friction rolls K of the carrier E (see Fig. 4) and around the periphery of the disk D is arranged an annular plate H in which is formed a series of equidistant holes 71, to receive the hooked ends g g of the connection link G.

The carrier E is constructed of two parallel beams L L (see Fig. 4) connected, a little one side of the center, by three cross bars m m 770; on the lower side of which are arranged concentrically (at such distance from the stud, as to cause them to roll on the plate e) four friction rolls K. At the end nearest the cross bars is a connecting strip N, at the center of which on the upper side is a staple to receive the end of the bolt rod o in connecting link Gg while at the other extremity of said carrier is a cross-brace p so constructed that when the carrier is on the main rails B it shall pass down between them forming a shoulder on each side which retains the carrier in its place. The beams L of the carrier it will be seen, are tapered down to a feather edge at their longer ends so as to come down flush onto the rails B, and they are allowed to drop by virtue of the dishes f in the plate D as the friction rolls K run around on the plate c one of them drops down into the dish f at the moment the taper ends of the beams L arrive over the rails 13, thus allowing the taper ends to come down (this end of carrier is lower than the other) on said rails, its brace p dropping in between them to steady and retain it.

The connection link Gr is formed of two parallel bars M, M, united by two cross pieces s s through the center of which is secured a strip t in which slides the bolt 0. The ends g2 of the bars M (see Fig. 3) are formed with a scarf to connect with a set of rails similar to B. The ends g are supplied with hooks which catch into the holes It in the rim H of disk D (see Figs. 1 and 2).

In Fig. 2 are illustrated the different directions in which the branch track may be led off from the main road B, the different colored lines representing the diiferent positions in which the beams M may be placed. It will be seen then that by the construction of the turning carrierl E, and shifting connection piece Gr and disk D with its perforated rim a branch track at any angle may be made so as to let the car readily run into it.

On the outer side of each beam M near the hook end is a turn buckle or securing butn ton u which assists in holding in proper relative positions with the beam M the short end of beams L as seen in red at Fig. l, where the truck G2 is supposed to be just run onto the connection Gr of a branch road.

As before stated the disk D is made with parallel grooves to suit the gage of the road; that object of this is that the disk may be placed on or slid along to various points in the road from which it may be necessary to branch off. The peculiar formation of the scarf by which the ends of the rails are united will be best comprehended by reference to the numbered diagrams in the drawings where it will be seen that the ends of two beams are so cut that they can only go together and come apart lengthwise, and that there is a rectangular mortise cut to accommodate a key m by which said ends are perfectly locked together. By this combination of the simple key with the peculiar formation of end of beam, the beams are very economically and effectually secured together.

It will be understood that my improved portable railway is calculated especially for the use of the farmer and is simple and durable in its construction.

Having described my improvement, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The adjustable sliding turn table D, E, G, the whole constructed and operating subtanlially as specified for the purpose set ort In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 

